scholarly journals The Efficiency of Municipal Expenditure and Quality of Work of Local Authorities in the Context of the Interests of Civil Society

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 32-41
Author(s):  
T. Pirogova ◽  
N. Kolyada

The Object of the Study. Budget policy of the municipality.The Subject of the Study. Assessment of the effectiveness of local budget expenditures, the activities of local authorities and society as participants in the budget process and budget policy.The Purpose of the Study. Carrying out the analysis and giving an assessment of efficiency of municipal expenses and activity of local governments of the city district. Determining the priorities of budget policy in the interests of civil society in order to improve the quality of life of the population.The Main Provisions of the Article. The article deals with theoretical and practical aspects of assessing the effectiveness of municipal expenditures and the activities of local authorities. Certain aspects of the budget process of the municipality in terms of the implementation of the local budget of Barnaul including the regulation and implementation of municipal target programs, as well as the participation of civil society in the implementation of the budget policy of the municipality have been revealed. In addition, a comparative assessment of the local budget expenditures of Barnaul with the budgets of other cities of the Siberian Federal district in the context of functional areas, as well as per capita is given. The analysis has shown the ambiguity of the structure of expenditures of local budgets, revealed a number of problems of management of municipal finances and made it possible to identify positive developments in the implementation of the municipal budget policy of the city of Barnaul.

Author(s):  
Yurii Radionov ◽  

The system of regional development and the conceptual apparatus of the term “region” are analyzed. Modern problems of local budgets are revealed. The focus is on the low level of financial capacity of local budgets, which affects the state of solving current socio-economic problems, as well as the independence of local governments. At the same time, there are examples of inefficient use of budget funds, which are allowed by budget managers at the local level, which negatively affects the achievement of priority goals of socio-economic development of territories. Attention is focused on the need to improve the quality of management of managers and recipients of budget funds, including the use of program-targeted budgeting method. Emphasis was placed on the need to expand the tax capacity of the regions in filling local budget revenues. Emphasis is placed on the expediency of better use of budget policy instruments in improving the effectiveness of budget expenditures, ensuring sustainable dynamics of socio-economic development of regions, which will improve the level and quality of life.


Author(s):  
Iryna Pryimak ◽  
Iryna Muntian

The article clarifies the essence and benefits of gender-oriented budgeting. The problem of lack of legislative consolidation of the use of GOB in the budget process is considered, which is one of the main reasons for slowing down the process of implementation of this method and approval of methods for its implementation. Indicators of gender statistics, in particular the city of Lviv, such as the structure of the permanent population by gender, unemployment rate by age and gender, mortality rates by cause and gender, social groups of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the problems they most often face depending on gender are analyzed. It was found that the situation of women in most areas is worse than men, and in modern conditions during the pandemic situation only gets worse. Given recent world events, the need for a public financial management system that takes into account the impact of gender measures to overcome the coronavirus pandemic is justified. A correlation analysis of gender impact on tax revenues of budgets on the basis of indicators that directly affect tax revenues to budgets by gender such as the average monthly wages of women and men in Ukraine for the period 2012-2019, as well as the number of women and men PE and their income for the period 2016 - 2020 has been conducted. The reasons for the reported results of the analysis are substantiated and explained, taking into account all possible factors. It is clear how the closure of “sleeping” private enterpreneurs, which has been observed since 2016, has affected the indicator of the total number of private enterpreneurs and their income indicators, which directly affect tax revenues to local budgets. The influence of these indicators on the formation of revenue and expenditure components of the budget based on the results of their statistical and correlation analyzes is estimated. The article confirms the opinion that the results of gender budget analysis help to make decisions on the directions of budget policy and development of industries in the future, taking into account the needs of men and women from different groups. As a result, it makes it possible to eliminate inequality in access to services financed from the local budget in the indicated areas.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oksana Lisnichuk ◽  
◽  
Vita Shvorak ◽  
Viktoriia Mazur ◽  
◽  
...  

The local budgets are an instrument of financial-economic regulation of the development of regions and the State as a whole. Both the efficient formation and administration of local budgets should be based on a combination of financial-economic relationships in the area of revenue generation, implementation of budget expenditures, the inter-budgetary relations and the development together with implementation of the balanced socio-economic policies directed towards ensuring the socio-economic growth of regions. The reform of budget decentralization has provided local governments with broader rights and new sources of financial resources, which has collectively increased the financial viability and autonomy of the regions. In this article article considers the peculiarities of the formation and implementation of local budgets (on the example of the budget of the city of Irpin). The sources of formation are described city budget revenues and directions of their use. In a section of revenue breakdown components of tax revenues on the main taxes and non-tax receipts of the local budget are analyzed. Specific weight of the intergovernmental transfers in the course of formation of income of local budgets is investigated. Analyses directions of use of budgetary resources by local governments. The main problems existing when forming revenues of local budgets are defined. Having analyzed the structure and dynamics of revenues and expenditures of the local budget. The revenues of the local budget of the city of Irpin have shown a growing dynamics, and expenditures tend to increase. The analysis shows that there are tendencies to increase their volume, which is certainly a positive aspect of the activities of local governments and decentralization reform. However, transfers make up an important part of the budget, which is negative, as the city budget is not fully independent. Of course, it is impossible to achieve full financial independence of the region in modern conditions, but it would be expedient to direct the vector of development to achieve financial independence. Analysis of the structure of expenditures by functional classification shows that during 2016-2019 most of the expenditures of local budgets were directed to the socio-cultural sphere. According to the analysis, the city of Irpin has a strong enough financial base to meet the needs of its residents. In addition, the analysis of the use of the city budget shows the diversity of expenditures and the presence of positive experience of community development.


2013 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 115-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sri Lestari Wahyuningroem

The article examines both civil society initiatives that seek to address the mass violence of 1965 and 1966 and the state's responses to them. Unlike other political-transition contexts in the world, a transitional justice approach is apparently a formula that state authorities have found difficult to implement nationally for this particular case. The central government has, through its institutions, sporadically responded to some of the calls from civil society groups and has even initiated policy reforms to support such initiatives. Nevertheless, these responses were not sustained and any suggested programmes have always failed to be completed or implemented. Simultaneously, however, NGOs and victims are also voicing their demands at the local level. Many of their initiatives involve not only communities but also local authorities, including in some cases the local governments. In some aspects, these “bottom-up” approaches are more successful than attempts to create change at the national level. Such approaches challenge what Kieran McEvoy refers to as an innate “seductive” quality of transitional justice, but at the same time these approaches do, in fact, aim to “seduce” the state to adopt measures for truth and justice.


2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edyta Szafranek

The purpose of this article is to assess the quality of life of the residents of a degraded satellite area of a city. It is considered in the context of urban development policy – as the result of decisions and as a challenge for long-term development. The research was based on a case study, which is the district of Opole referred to as Metalchem. It is characterized by an isolated location in the city structure as well as economic transformations. The study was based primarily on an analysis of source materials and results of a survey. The results show that the assessment of the quality of life is inconsistent. The living conditions are good, but satisfactory fulfilment of social needs is lacking. The residents of the studied area feel that their quality of life is lower than that of other residents of the city. This situation is the result of three main factors: insufficient access to public services, an ingrained negative image of the quarter, and a lack of coherence and continuity of the policy regarding this area. Research shows that the quality of life of the residents of degraded and satellite districts depends on the management and investments in the area, on the area’s perceived status within the city, but primarily on a consistent implementation of spatial and economic policies. Ensuring cohesion and integration between the satellite districts and the city center as well as other districts is also important.


Author(s):  
Anna Brdulak

To provide a good level of the quality of life of the city inhabitants, it is indispensable to follow sustainable development strategy, allowing to create social capital. This is important especially for local authorities, which should govern society by cooperating with them. Therefore, the main purpose of the article is to present implementation process and its conditions of the sustainable development strategy within the structures of local government units in Poland. Analysis is based on the authoress’ own qualitative research conducted in four voivodships in the Southern of Poland.


Author(s):  
B. S. Huzar ◽  
◽  
О. М. Trus

European and world experience testifies that the major element of reform of decentralization in Ukraine is reformation of local selfgovernment, creation of capable territorial communities, that must be able to satisfy the necessities related to the vital functions of habitants of settlements, and also properly to provide realization of their rights. The input of new mechanism of the budgetary adjusting changed the system of total balancing of all local budgets on the horizontal smoothing of taxability of territories depending on the level of receivabless on one habitant. The significant amount of budgetary facilities remains in the complete order of local authorities. Reform of interbudgetary relations stimulates territorial communities more effective to fill the estimates, become self-sufficient and carefully plan the charges. The local government independently decides on which needs spend budgetary funds, which is especially important for the development of united territorial communities. The article examines the essence of budget decentralization, its role and place in the development of united territorial communities. An assessment and analysis of budgetary decentralization in Ukraine has been carried out. The features of the introduction of budgetary decentralization in Ukraine are investigated, the main factors influencing the income and expenditures of local budgets are determined. Implementation of the decentralization reform, which has been ongoing in Ukraine for six years, includes a set of sectoral reforms, in particular, the reform of the administrative-territorial structure and the system of local self-government, and See also fiscal legislation. One of the key objectives of the reform is the voluntary unification of territorial communities and the formation of capable administrative-territorial units of the basic level. Thanks to the introduction of inter-municipal cooperation, the communities were able to consolidate their efforts and to implement common projects. In particular, 1354 territorial communities have signed 604 cooperation agreements. That is, the process of decentralization continues, they believed in it, and the resistance of opponents is being overcome. First, the reform of financial decentralization, local budget revenues show positive dynamics: in 2014 their volume was UAH 80.2 billion, then over six years, own revenues to the general fund of local budgets has increased by UAH 209.9 billion. and represented in 2020 UAH 290.1 billion. Total receipts from the general and special funds for this period increased by UAH 210.2 billion. This is a real instrument of influence on the achievement of results and responsibility for the trust of communities. The basis for the growth of revenues of local budgets was laid thanks to the changes adopted in 2015 to the Budget and Tax Codes of Ukraine regarding the transfer of additional budgetary powers to local governments and the consolidation of stable sources of income for their implementation. Financial decentralization in Ukraine has significantly accelerated the dynamics of investment activity. An important positive result of the reform of interbudgetary relations is the annual increase in investment resources of local budgets. After a sharp decline in investment activity in 2014, the volume of capital investments amounted to UAH 5.9 billion, while in 2020 their volume amounted to UAH 43.6 billion. On the average capital investments from local budgets in Ukraine for the years under study has increased by UAH 33.4 billion, the capital investment growth index was 7.39. Further implementation of the reform of budgetary decentralization and ensuring the effectiveness of the mechanism of budgetary regulation of socio-economic development requires expanding the rights of local authorities, strengthening their budgetary independence and determining their responsibility.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-188
Author(s):  
Katarina Ott ◽  
Mihaela Bronić ◽  
Branko Stanić ◽  
Maja Klun ◽  
Jože Benčina

As a part of the public governance, transparency started to come forward during the New Public Management reforms, mostly for the evaluation of public sector efficiency. This article focuses on online local budget transparency (OLBT) in two neighbouring countries – Croatia and Slovenia. The article is pioneering in a comparative study of the determinants of budget transparency in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, based on a unique database and measure of transparency. The article tests the determinants of OLBT that reflect the accountability of local authorities and a cornerstone for public participation in the budget process. The following methodology was applied: using a data set of 768 Slovenian and Croatian local governments over the 2015–2017 period and testing it against several financial and socio-economic variables, and a random effects panel logistic regression, separately for Croatia, Slovenia, and a pooled sample. The results indicate that greater size of the population, higher administrative capacity and lower unemployment rate in individual local governments significantly contribute to higher levels of OLBT. This study demonstrates the possibility of developing a standardised measure of local budget transparency and using it to investigate the reasons for different levels of transparency in the two – and potentially other – CEE countries. The results of this and similar studies can serve as a basis for establishing cohesive local budget transparency policies for different countries and creating a combination of policy instruments to enhance transparency.


2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-25
Author(s):  
Tetiana Kuzhda ◽  
Mykhailo Halushchak ◽  
Olha Halushchak

The most important aspects of effective citizen-government interaction, successful development of civil society institutions, community and state depend on forming, legal consolidation and practical use of an effective forms and mechanisms of participatory democracy in Ukraine. Effective practical use of participatory democracy depends on the legal framework, the government's willingness to cooperate, as well as the competence and willingness to engage with civil society activists and the proper development of civil society institutions that contribute to democratization and development of Ukrainian society. The levels of citizen-government interaction including an informational, informational-consultative, mutual participation have been expanded by singling out the constant dialogue and mutual participation, public control and e-democracy. The citizens’ appeals, electronic petitions, public hearings, meetings of citizens at the place of residence, local initiatives, local referendum, advisory bodies, self-organization bodies, public discussions and public expertise as the forms of participatory democracy have been described in the article. The differences between the forms of participatory democracy in terms of the order of their preparation, implementation and legal consequences have been indicated. The role of public participation in the budget process has been determined and the participation budget was singled out as a tool of the community for better understanding of local budget and forming their own projects. The advantages of practical use of participatory democracy for the public and the government have been clarified, in particular, strengthening the level of mutual dialogue, increasing its efficiency and the government's response to public problems; growing citizens' trust in the government; improving the image of government through the implementation of transparency, openness and involvement; and consideration of public recommendations by the subjects of power within the framework of certain procedures.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anniken Førde

Sustainable cites require the capacity to live with difference. In a world of increased mobility and migration, our cities become more and more diversified. While national discourses on diversity are often problem-focused, social initiatives are emerging in diverse cities addressing the positive potential of the city as a cross-cultural meeting place. In Norway, such initiatives have increased in number since “the refugee crisis” in 2015, and we see creative approaches arising from civil society, the voluntary sector, private companies, and local governments aiming to facilitate encounters with difference. This article explores innovative integration initiatives in cities in the north, emphasizing how difference might be negotiated, engendering new forms of engagement and responsibility. Cities are seen as sites of experiments, where new relations across difference are developed. Framing encounters as emergent, transitory, fragile, yet hopeful, we discuss the transformative powers of such initiatives for planning in diverse cities.


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